This application is based on and claims priority under 35 U.S.C. xc2xa7119 with respect to Japanese Application 2000-161278, filed on May 30, 2000, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference.
This invention generally relates to a movable sun roof on a vehicle. More particularly, the present invention pertains to a tilt and slide roof device (sun roof) for opening and closing an opening portion provided on the roof panel of a vehicle.
A known tilting and sliding roof device is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application published in 1995 as Toku Kai Hei 7-101247. The tilting and sliding roof device is provided with a movable panel for opening and closing an opening formed on the roof panel of the vehicle, a pair of guide rails arranged along the peripheral side edges of the opening portion, shoe members slidably guided by the guide rails and supporting one end of the movable panel, and a driving lift link rotatably and slidably guided in the guide rails for moving the other end of the movable panel up and down in a manner centered around one end of the movable panel.
In this known tilting and sliding roof device, a check block connected with the shoe members engages a notch formed in the guide rails to restrict the sliding movement of the shoe members while the other end of the movable panel is moving up and down. Typically, with respect to the engagement between the notch and the check block, gaps are provided in the sliding direction of the shoe members to take into account possible jamming of the check block. However, the gaps may sometimes cause excessive play in the sliding direction of the movable panel. During the up and down movement of the other end of the movable panel, the movable panel might slide in the sliding direction by virtue of the excessive play associated with the gaps. Because the other end of the movable panel is not stable as a result of excess sliding movement, a sealing member located between the movable panel and the roof panel can become damaged.
A need thus exists for a tilting and sliding sun roof device that is able to effectively restrict sliding movement of the movable panel without excessively damaging the sealing member.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a tilt and slide roof device includes a roof panel fixed to a vehicle body, an opening portion formed on the roof panel, a movable panel for opening and closing the opening portion, a pair of guide rails arranged along the peripheral side edges of the opening portion for movably guiding the movable panel, a pair of front shoes slidably guided in the guide rails and supporting a first end of the movable panel, and a pair of rear shoes slidably guided on the guide rails and supporting the second end of the movable panel. A pair of driving lift links is rotatably and slidably guided by the guide rails to move the other end of the movable panel up and down centering around the first end of the movable panel, with the opening portion being switched from a closed condition to a tilt-open condition by upward movement of the second end of the movable panel, and being switched from the closed position to a slide open condition by downward movement of the second end of the movable panel. A stopper block is fixed to each of the guide rails and includes first and second elongated grooves extending in the up and down movement direction of the movable panel. A pair of first engaging members is provided on the movable panel for engagement with and disengagement from the first elongated grooves of the stopper blocks, with slidable movement of the front shoes being restricted by engagement of the first engaging members with the first elongated grooves while the second end of the movable panel is moving downward. A pair of second engaging members is provided on the movable panel for engagement with and disengagement from the second elongated grooves of the stopper blocks, with slidable movement of the front shoes being restricted by engagement of the second engaging members with the second elongated grooves while the second end of the movable panel is moving upward.
The sliding movement of the front shoes is restricted by the engagement between the first elongated grooves and the first engaging members, and the engagement between the second elongated grooves and the second engaging members. This construction allows the gap provided in known devices to be minimized. Thus, the sliding restriction of the movable panel can be better ensured during the up and down movement of the second end of the movable panel.
According to another aspect of the invention, a tilt and slide sun roof device for a vehicle includes a vehicle roof panel, an opening portion formed in the roof panel, a pair of guide rails arranged along peripheral sides of the opening portion, a movable panel for opening and closing the opening portion, a pair of slidably movable front shoes each guided in one of the guide rails and supporting a first end of the movable panel, a pair of slidably movable rear shoes each guided in one of the guide rails and supporting a second end of the movable panel that is opposite the first end of the movable panel, and a pair of driving lift links each connected to the movable panel and the front and rear shoes to move the second end of the movable panel up and down centering around the first end of the movable panel. The opening portion is switched from a closed condition to a tilt-open condition by upward movement of the second end of the movable panel, and is switched from the closed position to a slide open condition by downward movement of the second end of the movable panel. A pair of stopper blocks is also provided and each of the stopper blocks includes a groove extending in the up and down movement direction of the movable panel. Each engaging member of a pair of engaging members is engageable with and disengageable from the groove of one of the stopper blocks, with slidable movement of the front shoes being restricted by engagement of the engaging members with the grooves while the second end of the movable panel is moving downward.
In accordance with a further aspect of the invention, a tilt and slide sun roof device for a vehicle includes a vehicle roof panel, an opening portion formed in the roof panel, a pair of guide rails arranged along peripheral sides of the opening portion, a movable panel for opening and closing the opening portion, a pair of slidably movable front shoes each guided in one of the guide rails and supporting a first end of the movable panel, a pair of slidably movable rear shoes each guided in one of the guide rails and supporting a second end of the movable panel that is opposite the first end of the movable panel, and a pair of driving lift links each connected to the movable panel and the front and rear shoes to move the second end of the movable panel up and down centering around the first end of the movable panel. The opening portion is switched from a closed condition to a tilt-open condition by upward movement of the second end of the movable panel, and is switched from the closed position to a slide open condition by downward movement of the second end of the movable panel. A pair of stopper blocks is provided, with each stopper block including a groove extending in an up and down movement direction of the movable panel. A pair of engaging members is also provided, with each engaging member engaging with and disengaging from the groove of one of the stopper blocks, and with slidable movement of the front shoes being restricted by engagement of the engaging members with the grooves while the second end of the movable panel is moving upward.